40 Ways Your Mac Can Improve Your Life

Your Mac is as proficient an office companion as it is a recreational aide-de-camp. Here's how to make sure your Mac helps you sail through the workday.

11. Tap into your home network for files you forgot to sync to .Mac.

Oops - you spent so much time transferring MP3s to .Mac this morning that you forgot your work files. Netopia's Timbukto Pro ($99.95 boxed, $94.95 download) can help. This remote-access app uses a console on your Mac to initiate remote desktop sharing. (LogMeIn Hamachi, a free app in its Basic version, does the same thing but is clunkier to use.) From a remote machine, Timbuktu Pro lets you grab files from, and even run apps on, your home Mac.

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12. Really watch what you eat.

As the day progresses, keep track of your calorie and nutrient intake with CalorieKing ($45), which gives you a constant readout of how your meals and snacks will affect your diet.

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13. Do all of your work in a freeware office app.

If you like to do what you can to avoid supporting that big tech company based up in Redmond, Washington, and you also like free stuff, you've gotta try NeoOffice. Unlike other free apps, NeoOffice is quite full-featured, offering many of the same options you're used to in Microsoft Office - without the ginormous price tag. It can read and write Office formats, too.

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14. Sync contacts between your Mac and your Bluetooth phone.

Apple's nifty little sync program, iSync, was a bright star in early OS X releases. Since then, it doesn't get much play. Part of the reason: Some popular phones are not supported. As usual, third-party Mac developers have solved this problem. For example, we got our Nokia N80 phone to sync with our Mac over Bluetooth using the DIY iSync Phone Plugin (free). Here's how you can do it too:

1. Enable Bluetooth on your MacBook (System Preferences > Bluetooth), or use a Bluetooth adapter. Make sure your phone is nearby. In the Bluetooth pane in System Preferences, click the Devices tab,then click Set Up New Device, and follow the prompts.

2. If you have the Nokia N80 (or another supported Nokia model), download the sync plug-in from en.isync-hilfe.de/phoneplugin-nokia.html and install it. If you have another phone model, search the Internet for that model and the term "iSync," and download and install the right plug-in.

3. Start Apple iSync (/Applications) and the plug-in will let you add the Nokia phone. Sync your contacts as you normally do.

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15. Track your investments.

Wait, you mean you've considered investing in a company other than Apple? Ha, well, your Mac can help you track those numbers as well - even the latest price for MSFT. PowerTicker ($49.95) is a widget that shows you just about every stock detail including volumes and yearly low, converts currency, and even has a tab for news on the selected company.

Track stocks and compare indexes in a widget that looks like a Wall Street trader's screen.

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Meegs

March 12, 2008 at 2:31pm

Howdy,
Does this alarm work while my MacBook Pro is in sleep mode? Nothing else seems to.

Anonymous

September 30, 2007 at 11:58am

Another great app is Dream Recorder 2 (www.dream-recorder.com)
It uses the iSight camera of your mac to detect your sleep state and awakes you in the right moment, so you don't feel tired in the mornings. It also records when you're speaking during your sleep and makes a movie of your sleep ;-)

Dargus

September 10, 2007 at 3:57pm

I'm surprised you didn't mention Aurora for waking up and going to sleep to your iTunes library (and when that's unavailable: Winchester chimes!)

Best of all: it's free :D
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/20766

ClickCoffee

September 07, 2007 at 6:08am

Recent studies show that coffee actually does have antioxidants, and more than blueberries....

Kavan Wolfe

September 06, 2007 at 3:58pm

Nice collection of apps, but it sure sounds like you're in the software selling business. You could have had a lot more open source and freeware apps and a lot less expensive gadgetry. That Sony wireless TV is a prime example. You can get much cheaper alternatives.

Anonymous

September 04, 2007 at 9:41am

Just FYI, it's the Scion xB that includes the Ipod link, at least according to the Scion website. I didn't see it listed for the Scion xA, tC, or the new xD

Anonymous

June 14, 2008 at 5:31pm

the xD has an iPod Dock

jchull

September 04, 2007 at 9:36am

If you really want to do karaoke, kJams is the best. My windows-using friends have not been able to find anything that comes close.